It is unclear whether children with HIV and severe acute malnutrition can be started on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) safely while they are still malnourished and the manner in which this therapy should start. This study will examine the safety, efficacy, and metabolism of children started on HAART while still severely malnourished.

HIV-positive children aged 6-59 months with kwashiorkor receiving nutritional rehabilitation and who are started on HAART.

Drug: zidovudine, lamivudine, nevirapine

Marasmus

HIV-positive children aged 6-59 months with marasmus receiving nutritional rehabilitation and who are started on HAART.

Drug: zidovudine, lamivudine, nevirapine

Control

HIV-positive children aged 6-59 months who are not severely malnourished and who are started on HAART for a non-nutritional reason.

Drug: zidovudine, lamivudine, nevirapine

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

6 Months to 59 Months (Child)

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Sampling Method:

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Children aged 6-59 months with HIV and kwashiorkor and marasmus who are not currently on HAART will be recruited from the Nutritional Rehabilitation Unit at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. Controls will be recruited from the outpatient cotrimoxazole clinic who are about to start on HAART for a non-nutritional reason.

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To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01529125